A man attending the protest of the proposed construction of a mosque near ground zero holds a sign directed at New York's Mayor near the World Trade Center site in New York Sunday, June 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Swoan Parker)

(Newser)
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With anti-Muslim sentiment and racist fears about President Obama at an all-time high, America is experiencing “the worst spasm of paranoia and bigotry of the post-Cold War age,” Peter Beinart writes in the Daily Beast. And we can look to the “red scares” of the last century for answers. During the Cold War, paranoiacs like Joseph McCarthy turned their fury on “the enemy within”—supposed communist agents in the US—in an isolationist bid to reduce America’s commitments overseas.

Today, with polls indicating that a majority of Americans foster isolationist tendencies, conservative politicians have found a convenient scapegoat in Muslim-Americans. “The awful irony, of course, is that persecuting Muslims at home actually endangers American security by fueling al Qaeda recruitment,” Beinart writes, just as McCarthyism aided the Soviet Union’s propaganda machine.

I would have to say this article is the most irresponsible piece of trash I have ever seen. The writer is obviously a 12 year old liberal who has never served in the military or fought the muslim radicals. If you think they are just harmless neighbors of ours why don't you pick up where Daniel Pearl left off and travel to Pakistan and get their side of it? I'll tell you why? Because you are afraid.....and you should be. Make no mistake there is a very dangerous element of Islam that you don't want to admit exists but hey, if you want to bury your head in the sand go ahead. While you still have one that is.

shelbyrad

Sep 13, 2010 7:55 PM CDT

To the maker of that sign: the people that died weren't all New Yorkers...

carpenocturne

Sep 13, 2010 7:10 PM CDT

once again, this is a bit of an overreaction and misreading of the public. but hey, would it be real media without it?